The first thought that comes to your mind on reading the above topic is: what is feminism? Charlotte Bunch once said: “Feminism is an entire world view or gestalt, not just a laundry list of women’s issues”. It is not about establishing superiority of women over men. On the other hand, it is the radical notion that women are human beings. It is the advocacy of women’s rights on the grounds of equality and humanity. The major issue regarding feminism is the wide-spread notion that feminism is some anti-social movement posing a threat to the very existence and survival of men.

The second thing to be understood is the need for feminism. History tells us how women in our society have always led a subdued and oppressed life, bowing to the wishes of men, being forced to choose between public justice and private happiness. Now, even being in the 21st century hasn’t changed the scenario a whole lot for women, where she struggles for self-identity. The modern world still hears about how a female fetus is aborted, a new-born girl is orphaned. Then comes the childhood period where the world follows rules like blue is for boys as pink is for girls; Barbies are for girls and cars for boys! Why do you have to bring in discrimination even in the smallest of things? It is certainly these actions that plant wrong notions in the young minds.

It continues ahead to the phase where girls are refused education because they are supposed to manage the household and produce a progeny. Not to be forgotten is the taboo around menstruation which curtails the freedom of women. Accompanying these, are the reports of violence against women- from molestation to rape. Is it necessary to degrade women to such a level that they don’t even realize they are being trampled upon? Can’t she be treated with respect and appreciation for her work? They are daughters, sisters, mothers and grandmothers. They are scientists, politicians, astronauts and pilots. Time and over women have proved that there is nothing they aren’t capable of! It is the need of the hour now to stop treating women like doormats and give them their share of dignity. This gave birth to the era offeminism.

Third in line comes the question “Is it bad to be a feminist?” The answer is a NO. The reason being, you don’t need to have vaginas to be feminists. A female who understands her self-worth and is fighting for her rights, accepting men as her equals, is a feminist. Being a male, if you support feminism, it makes you a feminist. But there’s nothing wrong or bad about it. Being a feminist shouldn’t be something you should be ashamed of. It only shows that you are more open-minded when compared to your peers, that you support the idea of equality of both sexes.

The fourth point when it comes to feminism is understanding what feminism is not about? Feminism certainly doesn’t give women the rights to establish superiority over men. It is about her choice of life, but it isn’t about not respecting his choices. It is all about giving and taking. If she expects him to be respectful, appreciative and loyal, she is expected to reciprocate the same. Feminism doesn’t give women the right to be dominant, rude or disloyal to the men in their life. It doesn’t let women hate men or yell at them. It doesn’t mean ignoring their struggles and male oppression. It is only a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation and oppression of both genders.

Last but not the least is: What can you do about it? Being a moral human- no matter if you are a male or female- it is your duty and priority to ensure that the ideology of feminism is propagated around you. Make people around you understand that feminism isn’t all about women; it’s about a society of equals. It’s not about enslaving men, it’s about empowering women. This way, you’ll only be contributing towards a better nation and a better society!